Lebanese Library Torched After Blasphemy Accusation

Lebanese Library Torched After Blasphemy Accusation

A huge library of books collected by a 72-year-old Greek Orthodox priest but used by the whole community was torched in Lebanon on Friday after he was accused of insulting Islam.

There have been different reports regarding the source of the accusations against Father Ibrahim Sarrouj, who has managed the Al-Saeh (Travellers’ or Pilgrims’) Library in Tripoli, near Lebanon’s northern border with Syria, since 1972.

Lebanon’s Daily Star reports that a fatwa was issued against Fr. Sarrouj because of an article allegedly published by the priest on a Danish website in 2010. However, AFP reports that a pamphlet was discovered inside one of the library’s books, which was considered blasphemous, and that a “sectarian scuffle followed” which ended in the torching of the library.

Other reports suggested the incident followed a dispute between Fr. Sarrouj and a businessman who wished to buy the property.

Before the fire, the priest had met with Islamic leaders in Tripoli in an attempt to clear his name and a demonstration that had been planned in protest over the allegations had been called off, reported AFP. However, on Thursday one of his employees, Bashir Hazzouri, was injured after being shot.

Following the burning of the library, a local official said Fr. Sarrouj had done nothing wrong.

“Father Sarrouj has nothing to do with the article,” said local security chief Imad Ayyoubi at a press conference. “The website is from Denmark and [the article] was published on Jan. 7, 2010. Whoever seeks to incite strife in Tripoli is destined for imprisonment, [as are] those who carried out the attack.”

Once again Islam shows how caring and considerate it is, although it might be deemed risky to build a library to a rival religion in such a country.

Doubtless true- but I applaud his bravery. The alternative is dhimmitude which our craven leaders are showing par excellence; submission to Islam and “feeling themselves subdued and humiliated”. OF COURSE Islam will not tolerate anything other than Islam- Saudi Arabia is the model.

I suppose that’s one of the reasons why we have to dig up most of our archaeological research. Can you imagine how many times things like this have happened in history? All records erased in the flick of a match…….easily done back in the day.

Well at least the article was also quite full of “the community coming together” stuff, which is hopeful. And it suggests one other non-religious motive for the burning.

Also this from the article:

“Tripoli’s MP Robert Fadel said that the police knew who was responsible for the attack and that they would be brought to justice. “The security agencies know the perpetrator and should arrest him. … There will be no political cover for anyone,” he said”.

However, on Thursday one of his employees, Bashir Hazzouri, was injured after being shot.

How was he injured, and how long after being shot?

That’s a double whammy! Are we to understand that in Lebanon being shot does not count as injury? Maybe not. After all, as long as one is not shot in the hand, he can still light a match and torch a library.

I hate it even when people write in ink on book pages. It hurts so bad to learn that books are being savagely destroyed.

Is it just me or has the world gone completely insane because they are so afraid of stepping on rich Arab toes. If this had been an Islamic library there would be murder and mayhem. WTH people? Can’t you see what kind of influence we are having on young people when every time I pick up a newspaper I see another atrocity carried out on every scale by so called radicals who take offense at something or other and use it as an excuse to justify terrorising everyone not of their faith? If there was a single country in the entire world where these people actually liked and didn’t cause trouble I would go there but the sad fact is, there is not one, not a single corner of this beautiful planet where they can’t find some excuse to wipe out those of us who can’t recite their holy book by heart. They would have us live in poverty and misery without literature or technology, subservient guests of a nation who would use every opportunity to wipe us off the face of the earth. There are always radicals, militants but when time after time they get away with whatever they want as long as it can be somehow twisted to suit their ideals is it any surprise their ranks grow and flourish and every new generation sees them as some kind of answer to the very poverty and misery they themselves perpetrate.

Freaking people! Always on the lookout for something to become indignant about.

Poor guy spent decades building that library and then some ass comes and destroys it in a flash. Long after the perp has forgotten all about this incident and has moved on with his life (maybe in prison), those books will still be destroyed. So sad.